


Danganronpa Next Gen: Mei

by Capnii



Series: Next Gen AU [4]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Adoption, Next Generation, adoption story, next generation au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-01 17:42:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13299948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capnii/pseuds/Capnii
Summary: From the Next Gen AU from the Tumblr blog, Kazukibou. This is the story of Mei, and how she became an Asahina.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the start of my next gen series. I've made a resolution to write as many DR: Next Gen Series as I can this year. This way I can progress the Kazukibou blog.

I hate the month of February. This cold month has the ability to freeze my heart for twenty-eight days. Instead of seeing the color red that represents love and passion for Valentine’s Day, I see blood. I see more blood than anyone should ever see in their lifetime. Every February, I am forced to live with the memory of seeing my father lying dead on our apartment floor.

 

I was born as Mei Tachibana. The woman who would have been my mother died giving birth to me. In some stories I’ve read, the father would resent the innocent baby for killing his wife. Yet even though I killed her, Dad loved me very much. He committed his life to making sure I was happy and loved.

 

The moments I remember sharing with Dad were the happiest moments of my young life. He would do everything to make sure I was happy. Every morning, he’d wake me up with a smile on his face, cook breakfast, and always made sure to kiss my forehead before I would go to kindergarten. One day I had brought home a feral cat that I wanted to keep. Dad said as long as I could take care of him, I could have the cat. I named him Kin.

 

Dad was a wonderful person. However, I knew from a young age that he hid the stress and fear he was feeling under his smile. He wanted me to be happy, and didn’t want me to worry about anything. Dad had two jobs, and yet that wasn’t enough for us to live comfortably. Dad had to take loans from sketchy loan sharks, where interest rates should have been criminal. No matter what, Dad couldn’t pay off the loans entirely. Those bastards took Dad’s life.

 

I wish I could forget that day. I remember coming home from school and seeing police cars and yellow tape surrounding the apartment complex. Police officers guarded the area to make sure nobody could get in, yet they couldn’t see a five-year-old sneak past. When I made it up to my apartment, the door was open, and there were more police officers. Walking inside, the first thing I saw was Dad's face down in a large pool of blood. I screamed for him, which alerted the officers. A couple ran towards me to barricade me from seeing my dead father.

 

“How did she get in here?” someone asked the police officers.

 

The voice came from a woman who I would soon become well-acquainted with. She walked over towards me and the officer who held me. Her hair was long and shaded lilac. She wore an outfit that was completely different from the other officers..Her deep purple eyes looked down at me, but I couldn’t look back at her, as her large, pregnant belly was in my face.

 

“We don’t know, ma’am!” the officer shouted.

 

“...Get her out of here,” she said as she turned her back to me. “This is too much for a child like her.”

 

As the officer began to take me out of my apartment, I attempted to break free of his grip. I squirmed and I demanded him to let me go. Before he took me out of the apartment, I bit his arm so hard, he was forced to let me go.

 

The last thing I remembered was running towards Dad. I don’t know if I made it to him or not.

* * *

 

The Kirigiri detective agency smelled of old books. The only sounds were the flipping of paper, clicking of keyboards, and a boy my age desperately trying to talk to me. Just like the lilac-haired woman, I would soon know this boy well. Though when you’re only five, and your only living relative has just been murdered, you don’t want to make friends. All I wanted to do was run away and cry. No, what I really wanted to do was go home and see Dad again. I wanted to go home and have him hug me, and ask about my day in Kindergarten. I wanted us to watch our favorite game shows together with Kin curled up on my lap. Then when I would start to yawn, Dad would tuck me into bed and read a story to me until I fell asleep.

 

Tears finally flooded my small face when I came to the realization that I would never have that life again. I think the kid next to me was trying to get me to stop crying, but my sobs made it hard to hear him. The only thing that was louder than my crying, was the cheerful voice of someone who had just walked into the building.

 

“We’ve been friends for years, Kyoko! Please, call me Aoi!” I heard from across the room.

 

I glanced over to see a woman with tanned skin talking to the lilac-haired woman. She had brown hair that she wore in a ponytail, and she wore a blouse that made her look like she was a teacher, but she wore a pair of athletic shorts. What made her stand out was how in such a gloomy atmosphere, she managed to act like she was the sun itself.

 

“Where is Kazuki?” I heard her ask.

 

“He’s over there.”

 

I looked over to the boy sitting next to me. He was Kazuki. He probably told me that earlier, but I wasn’t paying attention. When I saw the woman, she said her name was Aoi, look over at Kazuki and me, I turned my head away. Soon after, I heard her ask questions about me. The lilac-haired woman, Kyoko her name was, told her about Dad’s death, that my mother died after I was born, and that I had valuable information for her case. I stopped listening after that. I probably should have eavesdropped more, so then I would have been prepared for when Aoi walked over and knelt down to my level, and introduced herself.

 

“Hi, Mei!” she said in a tone too gleefully for a detective agency building. “Can I call you Mei?”

 

I did not want to answer her, yet my mouth decided to move on it’s own. “Sure.”

 

“Alright! Then you can call me Aoi! No need to be formal with me!” I did not respond to her this time. I wanted her to go away.

 

“Hi, Aunt Aoi!” Kazuki shouted behind me. I wanted him to go away as well. He got out of his seat and hugged Aoi.

 

“I missed you, Kazuki! Hey, would you like to go out to eat with me?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“How about we invite Mei too?” I shot a glance at her when I heard my name.

 

“Okay, yeah, let’s invite her!”

 

“Mei, would you like to get out of here and go get something to eat? It’s almost dinnertime, so you must be hungry.”

 

I really did not want to go with her. I wanted to go home, but home was not an option. My only choices were to go with Aoi, or stay here with Kyoko, who made me cry just looking at her. I reluctantly agreed to go with Aoi and Kazuki.

 

All I did was play with the noodles in my bowl. I’d pick some up with my chopsticks, and then let them fall back into the broth.

 

“Aren’t you hungry, Mei?” Aoi asked me while I continued to let my noodles slap the broth. Truth be told, I was hungry. Yet if I tried to eat, my stomach wanted to throw it back up. I stuck my chopsticks in the bowl.

 

“Mei, I know you’re hurting ‘cause of your dad,” said Aoi, “but you shouldn’t starve yourself.”

 

“I’m not hungry,” I lied.

 

Aoi backed off from convincing me to eat afterwards. Instead, she tried to include me in conversations she had with Kazuki. The conversations were a blur to me. Almost that entire day was nothing but a blur. I don’t remember going from one place to another, or things people were trying to tell me.

 

After my mind came to once more, it was nighttime, and Aoi was giving Kazuki back to his mother. Aoi asked where I was going to be staying, and to my surprise, she offered her home to me.

 

“She’s going to be sent to an orphanage, right?” Aoi asked Kyoko. “Just leave her to me! I can handle a child no problem!” Aoi looked down at me. “What do you say, Mei? You’d rather stay in a nice warm apartment than a crowded orphanage, right?”

 

“Asahina, first I think it wouldn’t be the best for a child to be staying in an unfamiliar home with an unfamiliar person. Second, I’m not exactly sure your ideas of an orphanage are-”

 

“Come on, Kyoko! It’s already dark out, and my apartment isn’t that far from here. One night, please?”

 

If I had to choose between staying at Aoi’s, or an orphanage, I would have rather stayed with Aoi. The less people to pester me, the better.

 

“I don’t want to go to the orphanage,” I muttered.

 

Aoi flashed a smile. “All right, sleepover!”

* * *

 

When you’re little, your parents will tell you to stay away from strangers. Don’t follow them into their car, or even their house. When I walked into Aoi Asahina’s apartment, I had been without parents for five hours. Dad was gone, so I thought there wasn’t really a point in doing what he told me anymore. The orphanage I was supposed to go probably would have been safer for me. Yet, for some reason, there was just something about Aoi that drew me towards her. To this day, I still don’t know what it was.

 

While Aoi was setting up a bed for me, I wandered around her apartment. I tried to take in all the information I could about her, though my mind kept flickering back to the image of Dad, dead on the floor. The minute I found where her bathroom was, I closed myself in there and cried. I would never see him again, and I did not know what life would have next for me. I remember sobbing out for Dad, and shouting repeatedly that I was scared.

 

I may have stayed in that bathroom until I cried myself to sleep if Aoi hadn’t found me. She tried to pick me up, but I swatted her away, slammed the door shut, and locked it. I screamed at her to go away and leave me alone. My tantrum had worked. She didn’t say a single word to me after. Maybe around ten minutes had passed when my crying had quieted down. That’s when I heard that Aoi was still outside the bathroom door. She was talking, but not to me. She had to have been on her phone with someone.

 

“I know she just lost her dad, but there has to be something I can do,” I heard on the other side of the door. “Maybe I can help her grieve? How would I go about helping her with that? She’s only five…” There was silence. “Yeah, I know we do have some things in common...but wouldn’t it be rude to bring up my family?” More silence. “Well, if you think it’ll help her, I’ll try. Kyoko, you said she has a cat? Can you bring him over here? I think he’ll help her. Thank you.”

 

Just as her phone conversation had ended, Aoi knocked on the bathroom door.

 

“Mei? You don’t have to come out, but if you do, I’d like to show you something.”

 

I did not know what she wanted to show me, and I did not care what that thing was. The only thing that would have gotten me out of the bathroom would have been Dad, alive and well, ready to hold me in his arms. Despite being disinterested in Aoi, I found myself opening the bathroom door and peeking at her. She had been sitting on the floor cross-legged, and her back against the wall. When she noticed I had opened the door, Aoi smiled at me.

 

She led me into the living room, and encouraged me to sit on her couch. I decided to sit on the floor, just to spite her. She had her back turned to me while she was shuffling through a bookshelf in the room. I glanced to see that she had left the door to the apartment unlocked. I thought if she was too busy with the bookshelf, I could run away. Luck was not on my side that evening, as she found what she was looking for right away. Aoi sat down next to me, and opened up the scrapbook that was in her hands.

 

“I wanted to show you that I know what you’re going through,” Aoi said to me. She pointed to a picture of a younger version of her, standing next to a young boy who looked similar to her. “This is Yuta. He…” Aoi’s hands started to tremble, “he was my little brother.” She continued to turn the pages, which had a photo of Yuta on every page.

 

“You weren’t born during all of this, Mei, but there was a time where my only blood relative was Yuta.”

 

I don’t know what compelled me to ask what happened to Yuta, but I did. That’s when Aoi’s entire body began to shake, and she began to cry.

 

“Yuta died.”

 

While she sobbed, I took the scrapbook from her, and flipped through the pages. There were photos of Aoi, Yuta, and their parents. According to Aoi, all of them were dead. I continued to flip through the pages, and I came across a photo of Aoi and another girl, except she was tall, and full of muscles I didn’t think were possible at the time.

 

“Ah,” Aoi said while she wiped her tears with the sleeve of her shirt. “That was best friend, Sakura.”

 

“Is she dead too?” I asked with no sense of empathy. All Aoi could do was nod. Tears were now flowing down her face.

 

Near the end of the scrapbook were pictures of Aoi and how she looked today. There were photographs of her with that Kyoko, photos of her with a man who looked like Kazuki, photos of other people I had never seen before, and last, a photo of her holding a baby. She was smiling in all of these photos.

 

“Everyone in those photos are my new family,” Aoi said. She pointed to every person who was in the photographs. “That’s Kyoko, who you met, and that’s her husband, Makoto. In that photo, I’m holding their son, Kazuki. They’re going to have another baby soon. Kyoko said they’re having a girl this time. Then over here is Byakuya and Toko. They’re going to have a baby soon as well. That guy is Yasuhiro. He’s really weird, but can be funny and supportive when you least expect it.”

 

“What’s the point of this?” I mumbled.

 

“Mei, I know what you’re going through. When I found out Yuta died, I lost my entire family. There isn’t a day where I don’t miss him. Even though I lost my family, I gained another. What I’m saying is that I want you to know no matter what, you’re not alone, even though it feels like it right now.”

 

I closed the scrapbook. “You’re wrong. All I had was Dad. I’m alone now.”

 

“Mei…” Aoi reached for me again, and I smacked her hand away again.

 

“I don’t have anybody!” I screamed. “Dad is dead!” Tears flooded my face once more. “I don’t have a family! Dad is dead! I’m all alone!” I wailed and wailed while I pounded my tiny fists on Aoi. “I wanna go home! I wanna be with Dad and Kin! I wanna go home! I don’t wanna be here! I don’t wanna go to an orphanage! I want Dad back!”

 

Once again, I couldn’t remember much after that. When I came to, it was the next day. I lifted my head up, and felt the warmth of Kin on my lap. For a brief moment, I thought the previous day was a dream. Reality came crashing back when I saw the apartment I was in, was not my home, the couch I slept on wasn’t mine, and Aoi had apparently stayed by me until I fell asleep. I looked down at Kin. He lifted his head up, and softly meowed at me. I didn’t know how he got to this place, and yet here he was.

 

I looked over at the door to leave the apartment again. Once again, I thought that I could run away. Kin was already here, and he would follow me to the ends of the earth. Kin and I could live our lives on the road forever and ever. I was ready to leave, and yet my body thought otherwise. I let out a big yawn, and decided I’d leave after a short nap.


	2. Chapter 2

“Do you have any questions for me?”

 

My cold, emotionless eyes looked at the counselor without any intent on answering him. Despite my protest in talking, he continued to ask me if I had questions, or would say that it was alright for me to talk about how I was feeling. 

 

“Do you understand what happened the other day?” he asked me.

 

I glared at the counselor. I figured I’d speak just to shut him up. “Dad died,” I answered. 

 

“And you don’t have any questions for me or want to share your feelings?”

 

“I want to go home.”

 

I was sick of being trapped in a room with an adult for what seemed like hours on end. First, I had been in a empty interrogation room with that Kyoko person. When I refused to answer any questions, I was set up for this counseling appointment. I was a smart kid; I already knew about death. I had spent the previous evening bawling my eyes out over Dad’s death. It was noon the next day, and I had grown sick of people talking to me. 

 

The counseling session that felt like an eternity finally came to an end. The counselor led me back to the waiting room. Aoi was sitting in the room and was looking at something on her phone. She was the one who brought me to counseling, since Kyoko was busy investigating Dad’s murder. The counselor told Aoi that I didn’t walk to talk. Aoi thanked him for his time, and she led me out of the office.

 

“What would you like for lunch?” Aoi asked. “You can have anything you want.”

 

“I don’t know,” I replied. 

 

“...Well if we pass by anything that interests you, we’ll go there.”

 

I don’t remember choosing a restaurant, yet Aoi insists that I had chosen this friendly-looking diner we passed by on the way back to the detective agency. Once the food I had supposedly ordered was on my plate, I decided to play around with it instead of eating it. 

 

“Mei, you should really eat,” Aoi insisted. “You didn’t want anything for breakfast, and a growing girl needs to eat!”

 

I didn’t bother to look at her. I just kept spinning food with my chopsticks. 

 

“Mei, I know I’m just a stranger, but I want you to know you can talk to me.”

 

I continued to play the silent game. 

 

“Kyoko said that you’re avoiding talking to her about what happened to your dad. I know it’s hard to talk about, but she thinks she’ll be able to catch the guy who did it if you answer her questions.”

 

I answered, “It won’t bring Dad back.”

 

“Well, no, but the guy responsible will be put in jail. He won’t be able to hurt anybody anymore.”

 

Aoi had a point, though my selfish child mind didn’t care about other people. I didn’t care if that murderer hurt others, because he already killed Dad. I was ready to throw another tantrum in the restaurant. However, I remembered a time where Dad scolded me for getting upset in a public place, so I held my tongue. I finally took a bite out of my lunch.

 

“Mei, you took a bite!” Aoi exclaimed. If it wasn’t rude, I would have spat out my food just to spite her. “Gosh I’ve been so worried since you haven’t been eating.”

 

Aoi confused me so much. I was just some kid she had met the previous day, and yet she was worried about me. I wasn’t anything to her. I wasn’t her daughter, niece, or even her friend’s child. Yet, she worried for my health, and praised me for something so mundane as eating. 

 

“Does it taste good?” Aoi asked. 

 

I looked over at Aoi’s glowing face. “Yeah.”

 

“That’s great! I’m glad you like it! Maybe before we get back to Kyoko’s office, we can stop at a bakery for some dessert!”

 

“Sure.”

* * *

 

“I know you’re not keen on talking to me,” Kyoko said, “so I’ll only have you answer one simple question for me. All you have to say is yes or no.” 

 

I was back in that small and empty interrogation room. Kyoko sat across the table from me, her arms crossed while her violet eyes pierced through my soul. At the time, I didn’t know how she was such a likeable person. Everything about her just felt intimidating. I kept my gaze away from her, and occasionally nibbled the taiyaki Aoi had bought me. 

 

“Did your father borrow money from people you did not know?”

 

Her question was an obvious yes. Almost every week someone would be coming to our apartment to demand the money Dad had borrowed. I slightly nodded my head, and audibly confirmed that yes, Dad had borrowed money.

 

“I see. Thank you.” 

 

Kyoko stood up, and escorted me out of the room. Back in the main office, I could hear Kazuki talking to Aoi by that small table meant for him to sit by whenever he came to the detective agency. When Kyoko closed the door behind us, both Aoi and Kazuki’s attention drew to us. 

 

“Mom and Mei are back!” Kazuki shouted. He got up from his seat and ran over towards his mother. Kyoko smiled and patted the top of Kyoko’s head. That was the first time I saw some actual emotion and affection from Kyoko. 

 

“How did it go?” I heard Aoi ask Kyoko. 

 

“I asked her a question, and she answered,” Kyoko replied. “The case is rather simple, and Mei’s answer confirmed my suspicions.”

 

“So you’ll get the guy who killed her dad?”

 

Kyoko nodded. “I have a good idea of where our killer is hiding. I’ll be contacting the police to get him.” 

 

“Did you hear that, Mei?” Aoi looked at me, her eyes gleamed in excitement. “Kyoko knows who did it!” 

 

I blurted out, “What happens to me?”

 

Silence plagued the room not because nobody knew what would happen to me, but because they knew what would happen. I would be going to an orphanage full of kids without parents. I’d live in some place where I would be reminded daily that I had no home, and no family. 

 

“Can Mei stay with us?” 

 

All eyes were now on Kazuki. He walked over to me and grabbed my hand. I pulled myself away from him. 

 

“I don’t think Mei is comfortable with that idea,” Kyoko answered. 

 

“Well then where is she gonna go? She needs somewhere to sleep.”

 

The room was silent once more.

 

“W-Well, in the meantime, she can stay with me,” Aoi blurted out. 

 

“Are you absolutely sure?” Kyoko asked her. 

 

“She already stayed at my apartment last night. You also brought her cat over, remember? So why not she stay with me one more night? It can’t be that tough to take care of her for a bit longer. I even got her to eat today!”

 

Kyoko looked at me. “Do you want to stay with Asahina once more?”

 

I shrugged my shoulders. “Sure.” 

 

“Oh! Speaking of your cat, we should go to the store and get him more food! Kyoko only brought what was in his bowl, so he must be hungry!” 

 

I slowly nodded my head.

* * *

 

 

“Here, Mei, can you unlock the door for me?” 

 

Aoi handed me a set of keys while she carried a large bag of cat food and a few bags of groceries for ourselves. With as much as she was able to carry, Aoi looked like a superhuman. 

 

It still felt uneasy to walk into an apartment that wasn’t mine. I had felt more comfortable now that Kin was back with me. As soon as the door opened, he scurried over and rubbed his head against my small legs. I would have knelt down to pet him, but Aoi was behind me carrying more things than I weighed. 

 

She let out a sigh of relief when she set down the bag of cat food. “It’s been so long since I took care of a cat, so I hope this is enough food. Mei, would you like to give him that toy we got him?” 

 

I nodded, and walked over to dig out the fishing rod toy I found at the store. The minute Kin caught sight of his new toy, he ran over and started swatting the feathers at the end of it. Kin’s playfulness was the one thing that could get me to smile. While Aoi worked on putting groceries away, and refilling Kin’s food bowl, I walked around the living room, dragged the toy behind me, and let Kin chase me around. While I played with Kin, I felt like there weren’t any problems in the world. I was in a fantasy where it was just the two of us playing together. 

 

“Mei, what’s your kitty’s name?”

 

The sound of Aoi’s voice brought me back into reality. “His name is Kin.”

 

“That’s a lovely name for a lovely kitty.” Aoi walked over towards us, got down on her knees, and held her hand out towards Kin. “Hi, Kin. Can I pet you?” 

 

Kin looked over at Aoi before walking towards her. He sniffed her hand briefly before he decided to push his head on the palm of her hand. Aoi smiled, and softy pet his head. I was relieved with how gentle Aoi was with Kin. I decided if I couldn’t keep him at the orphanage, that Aoi should keep him. 

 

“So what should we do tonight?” Aoi asked. “I’ll make dinner, and then do you want to watch a movie? Or maybe there’s something on television you want to watch?”

 

I hesitated giving her an answer. I almost wanted to tell Aoi the tradition Dad and I had of watching game shows. The other part of me didn’t want to tell her because that was my thing with Dad. While I was lost in thought, Aoi handed me the television remote. 

 

“You can browse the channels, and we’ll watch whatever you want.”

 

While Aoi worked on dinner, I sat on her couch and channel surfed. No channel kept my attention for more than three seconds. It didn’t matter what kind of show it was. Not even colorful cartoons kept my attention. When the television was on a channel with a man in a spandex outfit making a fool of himself in some game, I froze. I wanted to watch this show, but in my own home, with my own family. I demanded my thumb change the channel, but it was like my muscles had a brain of their own. 

 

“Did you find something?” Aoi asked. Her question shocked me out of my trance. “This looks fun.”

 

“I-I don’t want to watch this!” I shouted. 

 

“Really? But you were watching this for a while.” 

 

My entire body shook despite the apartment being comfortably warm. I had begun to hyperventilate. Tears ran down my eyes a mile a minute. In my head, Dad’s laughter echoed in my head, as if my brain was bullying me into remembering I’d never hear his laugh again. 

 

“I don’t wanna watch, I don’t wanna watch, I don’t wanna watch,” I repeated. 

 

“Okay, okay, we can watch something different!” Aoi snatched the remote from me, and immediately changed the channel. Despite the game show off the screen, tears continued to stain my eyes. I hated how much I was crying, and how everything reminded me of Dad. I wanted to feel numb, and not let anything upset me. I curled myself up in a ball and ducked my head behind my legs. 

 

“Mei…?”

 

I didn’t answer. Aoi was probably used to my silence by now.

 

“Can I hug you?”

 

I really wanted to push her away from me, and scream at her to back off. I wanted to demand she stay out of my life, and then run out of her apartment, never to be seen again. I wanted to  be a nasty child who couldn’t deal with the death of her father. 

 

Yet, I needed a hug more than anything. 

 

My little arms clung onto Aoi as hard as they could. My tears soaked the shirt she was wearing as if she had been standing in the rain. I sobbed about how I wanted Dad on and on. Aoi didn’t say anything to me while I wailed. All she did was hold me until I was ready to let go.

 

I never wanted to let go.


	3. Chapter 3

It wasn’t until I was older that I truly understood everything behind Dad’s murder. Dad wanted to give me a life that I deserved, so he made sure we lived in one of the best apartments, ate the best quality foods, and everything else that would make life seem perfect. The funds may have been easy to obtain if there were two parents. However, it was only Dad. He had a full-time and part-time job. However he never knew when the part-time job would call him in. The bank eventually stopped giving him loans. Dad resorted to loan sharks. Every day, it felt as if someone was coming to the apartment to threaten Dad. Then one of them got impatient, and decided that killing Dad would somehow get his money back. 

 

Kyoko had found that Dad was taking loans out, and even found a log he had written regarding the money he borrowed, and who he owed the money to. She already knew who the killer was before she asked me questions. I guess she only asked me as I was some sort of witness. There was other evidence, such as Dad’s missing wallet, debit card usage after his death, and even stray hair and skin cells found in the apartment, because my Dad struggled with the killer. Whatever loan shark killed Dad, they were really stupid to think they could get away with it. 

 

Solving murders isn’t as astonishing as they can be seen on television, movies, or even games. Not every single person commits the perfect murder. Dad’s killer apparently did a sloppy job. I don’t think forty-eight hours had passed, and he was already caught and arrested. Or perhaps Kyoko was in fact, one of the best detectives in Japan. Perhaps it was both. 

 

I was in Aoi’s apartment watching television when Aoi got a phone call that confirmed the murderer was caught. She called me over to her immediately, and handed me the phone so I could hear Kyoko confirm that he was indeed, arrested. After the phone call, Aoi hugged me tight, only to quickly pull away after she remembered I didn’t like being hugged unless I wanted it. 

 

That night, I laid awake on Aoi’s couch, and flipped through what seemed to be endless channels of late night television. That upcoming morning was when my life was beginning to change for real. Tomorrow was Dad’s wake. The day after that was his funeral, and the day I move away to some orphanage. I had miraculously avoided orphanages and foster care for three nights. I banked on Kyoko needing my testimony, and Aoi’s generosity to keep me away from the home of parentless children. It was depressing to think I had no extended family to take me in. I had slightly grown accustomed to staying in Aoi’s apartment, and I wasn’t fond of trying to get used to another home, if that would happen. I was a five-year-old girl who was rather independent, and something told me that people would only want to adopt babies. Parents would want the whole experience, and I was old enough to not cry for attention, or that I was toilet-trained, and had begun to read and write. The idea of staying parentless for the rest of my life frightened me to the point of tears. 

 

Aoi had already welcomed me into her home, and I didn’t want to go.

 

At some point in the night, I had fallen asleep. Aoi lightly shook me awake. Her voice was calm and happy at the same time. Her voice felt as if I had heard that voice waking me up all my life. I looked around for Kin, and saw him eating breakfast under the table where my breakfast sat. 

 

“Today is a big day, Mei. So try to eat all of what’s on your plate, okay?”

 

I sluggishly rolled off the couch, and dragged my feet across the floor to get to the table. The breakfast Aoi made for me was the most I had eaten in the past few days. There were a few times where I almost nodded off to sleep as I ate; Last night I must have stayed up hours past my usual bedtime. 

 

Some of my clothes had been brought to Aoi’s apartment. Conveniently buried in the clothes, was a black dress perfect for Dad’s wake. I had never been to a wake before, so I didn’t know what to expect at the time. Aoi said to me that a wake was where family and friends can grieve for their loss. I may have been the only person who carried his bloodline, but he was loved by friends and coworkers, who wanted to grieve with me. 

 

Aoi had come with me to the wake, which I was glad she did. Despite meeting her three days ago, she was the only person I knew at the wake. I was so scared to be there, that I kept my head down, and I consistently fidgeted with the prayer beads given to me. Coworkers and friends of Dad would come over by me, and give their condolences. I would nod in silence, otherwise I would start crying. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t stop the tears that ran down my face when I took one glance at Dad’s portrait. I clenched my tiny fists as if it would stop me from having a meltdown. I apparently looked like such a wreck, Aoi had to sit next to me, even though she wasn’t family. I was crying so much, that I had a hard time focusing on the priest’s chants. Before I knew it, the wake was over.

 

After the wake, Aoi took me to a nice, homey restaurant. I don’t remember the name, but the interior felt warm, like my whole body was under a kotatsu. The atmosphere didn’t completely relieve my sorrows, but it helped a little bit. I remained silent to prevent crying in public; I had to point out what I wanted to eat, so Aoi could order it for me.  

 

“So, Mei,” Aoi said to break the silence. “After the funeral tomorrow, I have to bring you to Kyoko.”

 

I bit my tongue before answering her, in hopes that would prevent me from crying. “That wasn’t the funeral?” I asked.

 

“We just went to the wake. Tomorrow is the funeral.”

 

I sighed heavily. I didn’t want to cry anymore regarding my dad, but I had to look forward to another day bathing my cheeks in tears. “Do I have to go to an orphanage after the funeral??”

 

Aoi was silent for a good few seconds before she replied. “If someone were to take custody of you, you wouldn’t go.” I thought that was the nice way of saying, “If you had blood relatives, or if any of your dad’s friends cared about me, you wouldn’t be going.”

 

“Can’t I stay with you?” I blurted out. “I’ve stayed with you a few days, and Kin is already at your home, and - and...”

 

Aoi started to stutter an answer, but she couldn’t say a single word. Syllables would be followed up by nervous laughter, and before she could even begin to actually speak about how she felt about me, our food had arrived, and the topic was dropped. To me, that meant she didn’t want me.

 

As I’ve said before, I was a very selfish kid. At first, I wanted Dad back, but his wake had me finally realize that wasn’t going to happen. Now, I wanted Aoi, the person who tried to take care of me. She offered her home to me, and I took it for granted. When I threw tantrums, she gave me space unless I wanted to be comforted. I looked back on the previous night, where I soaked her shirt in tears, and refused to let go of her. She agreed to take care of Kin for me, and she bought a large bag of cat food for him, and let me pick out a new toy for him. Those past days I treated her so poorly, and now that I realized that I didn’t want to leave her, it was too late. She wouldn’t have wanted a bratty five-year-old like me. However, I didn’t want to give up. 

 

“I don’t wanna go,” I pouted. 

 

“Mei?” Aoi asked

 

“I don’t wanna go!” I repeated. “I don’t wanna go to some orphanage! They won’t let me keep Kin! I wanna stay here! I wanna stay with you!”  Aoi was taken aback. “An orphanage sounds scary, and you’ve been so nice to me. I don’t wanna leave here…”

 

For a while, the only noise was the chatter from other patrons, and dishes clanging in the kitchen. 

 

“I didn’t know you felt that way,” Aoi replied. “Mei, do you really want to stay with me?” I nodded my head rapidly. 

 

“Well, I...I have to talk to Kyoko about this.”   
  


We didn’t talk about Aoi adopting me for the rest of the day.

* * *

 

The funeral felt just like the wake. I would dig my nails into my fist, or bite my lip to keep me from crying. I hardly paid attention to the chants, and Aoi had to pat my back once it was over. She handed to me the flowers we had bought before coming here. I watched as adults put flowers in Dad’s casket. My hands trembled as I made my way over towards Dad.

 

Once I set my eyes on his lifeless body, all the force that kept me from crying was gone. Dad looked like he was in a peaceful sleep, and I wanted to shake him awake. I fell to my knees, and wailed uncontrollably. I screamed for Dad to wake up, to not let him leave me, and I mentioned how I didn’t want to go to an orphanage. I begged, and begged for Dad to wake up, as if my tears and demands would actually do the trick. 

 

Aoi eventually scooped me up from the ground, and held me in her arms while I soaked her sleeve with tears. 

 

“Cry as much as you need,” Aoi whispered to me. “It’s okay to cry.” There was a slight change in Aoi’s tone of voice that made it sound like she was crying too. “You can give your dad the flowers when you’re ready.” 

 

Aoi held me and comforted me while I cried. Whenever I started to hyperventilate, she’d help calm my breaths. Eventually, my sobs came to an end. I told Aoi I was ready, and she set me down. My hands shook the closer I got to Dad. With one deep breath, I placed my flowers right above his heart. 

 

“I love you, Dad…”

 

* * *

 

 

Two hours passed, and now I was on my way to meet with Kyoko, who would take me to this orphanage. I clung onto the urn that contained Dad’s ashes for dear life. Aoi and I still haven’t discussed her adopting me, so I figured she didn’t want me. When we made it to Kyoko’s office, I hid behind Aoi the entire time. 

 

“Please don’t make me go…” I mumbled. 

 

“Preparations has been made,” I heard Kyoko say. “I’ll take her there. Thank you for taking care of her during all of this.”

 

“Actually, Kyoko,” Aoi replied, “I...I’m going to adopt Mei.”

 

My eyes widened. The shock that Aoi actually wanted me made me want to cry once more. I clung to the back of Aoi’s pants, and buried my face into the fabric.

 

“That’s...surprising,” said Kyoko. “Though I suppose it would make sense since she’s been staying with you. You know parenting isn’t easy.”

 

“I know, Kyoko! I know it isn’t easy, but look at her. She doesn’t want to go, and I...don’t want her to go either. I want her to stay with me.”

 

“I really think you should think this over.”

 

“Kyoko, I thought about it already! At first, I thought Mei hated me. Now that I know how she really feels! She told me last night that she wanted to stay with me, and I put a lot of thought into it since then. I want to adopt her. What better family could she have than us? She really wants to stay with me, how could I possibly say no when I actually felt the same?”

 

“I’m just-”

 

“I know parenting can be difficult, but it comes with rewards, right? Raising Kazuki has been tough for you and Makoto, but you still love him, and want to do everything right for him. Plus, with that belly of yours, you two are taking that parenting challenge again. Kyoko, I made up my mind.” Aoi looked at me right in the eyes. “Mei, is this what you really want?”

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey, Dad. I hope you’re doing well today. It’s um, it’s my first day of high school. I’m going to Hope’s Peak Academy.”

 

I looked at the photograph of Dad that sat in the small shrine I had of him since after the funeral. Next to his photograph was the urn that contained his ashes. 

 

“Honestly, Dad, I’m nervous about my first day. At least Kazuki is going to be there with me, and he’ll probably be nervous too.” A small smile curved on my lips. “I mean, he was so nervous that he actually snuck into his dad’s files to figure out who was in his class.” I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. “I also know you and Kin will be looking out for me today, so maybe I’m just nervous for no reason.”

 

“Hey, Mei-Mei!” Aoi called from the kitchen. “We gotta get going, or we’ll be late!”

 

“Oh, crap, I forgot what time it was,” I muttered under my breath. “Okay, Dad, I gotta get going to school now. When I get home, I’ll tell you how my first day went. I love you.”

 

I threw my backpack onto me, and rushed out the door, where Aoi waited for me. 

 

“Do you have everything?” she asked me. “Notebook, pencils, pens, lunch?”

 

“Yeah, I have everything.”

 

“Oh, here, Mei-Mei. Before I forget, here’s your good luck donut.”

 

I laughed. “You always give me a good luck donut at the start of a new school year.”

 

“Well, you haven’t had a bad first day yet.”

 

“You’re right. Thanks, Mom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the end of Mei's adoption story. I hope this was alright, and you all enjoyed it.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm looking for beta readers if anyone is interested, let me know.


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